Press Releases: 2008

Healthy Hoops Kentucky: Helping Kids with Asthma

Kick-Off Event: DuPont Manual High School with Honorary Chairperson, Darrell Griffith

Passport Health Plan and honorary co-chair Darryl Griffith will present Healthy Hoops Kentucky, a free and innovative program for asthmatic children ages 9-13 at DuPont Manual High School, 120 West Lee Street, from 11am -3:30pm on September 27, 2008.

The goal of Healthy Hoops Kentucky is to use basketball as a format for helping kids and their families understand how to keep their asthma under control. Children will be participating in medically-supervised health screenings and basketball drills with current and former University of Louisville basketball players and coaches. Parents and guardians will get the latest information about nutrition, exercise, and medication management. There will be interview opportunities about the program with Darrell Griffith aka "Dr. Dunkenstein" who led the Louisville Cardinals to a 1980 NCAA Championship.

Originally developed by AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan, the Healthy Hoops concept offers proven success in improving asthma care for children. "We hope to serve about 200 children on this special day. Asthma has a very real financial and emotional impact on families and we’re encouraging families to use the day to learn, have fun, and meet some of their favorite basketball celebrities." said Dr. Larry N. Cook, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board for University Health Care, Inc. which does business as Passport Health Plan.

Passport Health Plan is one of the sponsors of the Healthy Hoops Kentucky. The event is coordinated by a consortium of asthma care providers, public health organizations, local government, and the public school system. The event is not restricted to Passport Health Plan members. The only requirement is that children be between the ages of 9 – 13 and have a diagnosis of asthma. A parent or guardian must accompany the child to the event. Other sponsors of Healthy Hoops Kentucky are Astra Zeneca, The University of Louisville, Kroger, and the AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies.

Passport Health Plan is a Medicaid managed care plan that serves more than 145,000 members in 15 Kentucky counties and was named the 11th best Medicaid plan in 2007. The counties of service include Breckinridge, Bullitt, Carroll, Grayson, Hardin, Henry, Jefferson, Larue, Marion, Meade, Nelson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer, Trimble and Washington. Healthy Hoops Kentucky is managed by a coalition of local community leaders who represent the following organizations: Passport Health Plan, University of Louisville, University of Louisville Athletic Department, Louisville Department of Public Health and Wellness, Kosair Children’s Hospital, Pediatric Pulmonary Medicine, Jefferson County Public Schools, Astra Zeneca, Community Health Charities, Family Allergy and Asthma, PARI Respiratory Equipment, University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences, Metro Louisville Government, Park DuValle Community Health Center, Family Health Centers, Inc., and the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

University Health Care, Inc. contracts with AmeriHealth Mercy for administrative services. The AmeriHealth Mercy Family of Companies is a mission-driven organization dedicated to ensuring the delivery of quality health care to low-income populations covered by publicly-funded programs throughout the United States. AmeriHealth Mercy and its affiliates comprise the largest family of Medicaid managed care plans in the United States, touching the lives of over 6.2 million members nationwide. AmeriHealth Mercy employs over 2,000 people nationally, including 225 employees in Passport's Louisville office and 162 employees in Indianapolis. For more information, please visit www.AmeriHealthMercy.com.

For additional information, visit www.AmeriHealthMercy.com and www.healthyhoopsky.com.